MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

See THIS Lancet report on research into dementia. Their conclusion is that the number of people suffering from dementia globally will triple between 2019 and 2050.
Have a ponder on that.....

[Wendyf]

Last night there was a hospital programme on Channel 5 called 999: Critical Condition. We were tempted to watch because a young man with oesophageal cancer was having the same op that Col had. I couldn't handle it but Col distressed himself by watching till the end.

[PanBiker]

I have watched a few on how craniotomies are done for brain tumours like I had. I found them strangely fascinating after the event, I never looked before my op. Didn't bother me at all, just amazed by the skill involved.

[Wendyf]

It was other gory traumas that sent me off to bed before the oesophagectomy operation was shown. Colin knew the basics of the operation but facing the details wasn't easy. If anyone has a strong stomach watch it here...

https://www.channel5.com/show/999-criti ... /episode-1

[Stanley]

I'll pass on that one Wendy.....

[Big Kev]

Following on from the prostate biopsy, I had in May last year, I have been back today for the official results with the consultant. It's definitely not cancer (glad I had the abridged version back in May). The biopsy picked up a chronic infection that could have potentially been hanging around for nearly 30 years, it's been identified as causing a reoccurring infection in other nearby bits of the 'trouser department'. 6 week course of ABs and more tests booked in for April. Hopefully that'll sort it.

[PanBiker]

Sounds positive Kev. Lets hope the AB's get on top of it and sort it out.

[Big Kev]

Hopefully so. I'm just pleased they've found something they can do something about

[Whyperion]

Job Vacancy ( permanent or on secondment) from April 1st, A Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England

[Stanley]

My experience of problems in that department was Cystitis and I learned that any woman who had it (Most cases in women) deserves deepest sympathy. My relief after many years of intermittent flare ups came from a good lady doctor in Bacup who understood the problem and gave me exactly the right AB to target the root cause. Touch wood, never seen it since. I was told that that was the main problem, there are so many bacteria that can cause it.

[plaques]

The debilitating disease multiple sclerosis could be caused by the common virus behind "kissing disease", scientists claim.

I knew there was an advantage in being born ugly.

[PanBiker]

Posted with Sally's permission.

Good news from the Richardson Wing at Airedale this morning, that's the breast clinic suite in the hospital.

A couple of weeks ago Sally found a lump under her arm whilst she was in the shower. She first made a phone appointment with the doctor which turned out to be Angela Hare at the surgery, after a chat she wanted a face to face and a proper examination. This was organised within a couple of days and after the consultation she had no delay in asking for a referral at the hospital. That came through within another couple of days. We attended at 8.15 this morning.

Sally had a mammogram and ultrasound scan and another thorough examination by the resident consultant. After the examination and a review of the resultant scans she was sure that there is nothing untoward. The swelling under the arm and the perceived tissue change in the breast could be a result of the Pfizer booster jab. The swelling is tissue based and not in her lymph nodes. The clinic has seen quite a few referrals of this nature since the booster rollout. Dr Hare did mention this during her examination but turned Sally over to the experts for confirmation.

We have to say that our local surgery does get a lot of negative comments from some quarters regarding access to doctors under the present situation. We have never experienced this and always found that you can get to see a doctor if it is a proper or potential emergency.

I can't say that the last fortnight has not been without worry. It's 28 years since Sally's first run in with the disease which took the best part of a year out of our lives with surgery and chemo treatment but it did save her life. So onwards and upwards as they say.

[Big Kev]

That must be a relief
I mentioned it to Paulette and she had heard the same regarding the Pfizer booster.

[Wendyf]

Great news!

[Stanley]

Good news and I am so glad to hear it. Please give my love to Sally and say she deserves a gin and tonic!
Tell her I've passed the information on to Susan and Margaret.

[PanBiker]

Thanks for the comments folks, it's a weight off as they say.

[Tizer]

That's good news about Sally. My father had a lymph node swell up in his armpit but he didn't tell anyone and by the time we found out it was big and malignant and had to be removed under general anaesthetic.

We too find it easy to get an appointment with a doctor at our local surgery. The surgeries in this part of Somerset are sharing doctors and some of them move around to give face to face attention. It works well.

[Cathy]

Good news about Sally .
Have noted the info about the booster. Thanks.

[Stanley]

Men assume wrongly that they are immune to these 'women's complaints'. Not so, my mate who is a Mayo Clinic doctor got mastitis and realised it was from drinking milk that had been 'fortified'. He went back to unleaded and the problem cleared up.

[PanBiker]

It's quite a bit rarer but men can also succumb to various types of breast cancer. Always pays to be vigilant, male or female.

[Tizer]

A few days ago I praised our local surgeries and their staff on this thread. Unfortunately the more bureaucratic parts of the NHS can be disappointing. Mrs Tiz was sent an appointment letter for her next glaucoma check up. It was not at our local large hospital were she usually goes (and to which we can walk in 10 minutes) but first thing in the morning at a hospital far away and would have also meant having to get through major road works with long tailbacks. Also it said the wouldn't be able to drive after the visit due to the eye drops. She phoned and asked to be given an appointment at the local hospital instead - it isn't urgent and she could take a later date (and walk there). They said they couldn't do it and would have to get someone to call back later in the day. They did call but Mrs Tiz was out and they wouldn't talk to me, but said they'd call back later that afternoon. They didn't call again. Days later she called them again and managed to get through to someone who could deal with it. By this time it was the day before the original appointment. They said they'd make her a new appointment at the local hospital but that she would be put down as a `no show' for the original one. If it had been me I'd have told them I'm never a `no show' at appointments and I found it offensive to describe it as such. Also, it appears to be a way they put the blame on the patient when it was their own fault for not being efficient about changing the appointment.

[Stanley]

I think you're right Peter and it was a way of making sure the lost appointment wasn't booked to them. This is really important but the NHS is so understaffed and loaded with locum staff from agencies that you would never get any satisfaction or improvement.
I fear this is the ultimate fate of all outsourced and underfunded public services. Remember hospital cleaning? The bean counters thought that paying out less for an inferior service was a saving. Instead it turned out to be more expensive and in some cases lethal.

[Stanley]

It's reassuring in a way that routine medical services are gradually being re-established. Today I go to the surgery on Park Road for the routine Diabetic clinic, Urine, bloods, weight and foot clinic. The results will be in a phone call in a week.
It's also reassuring that I remembered it!

[Stanley]

Jana, the diabetes nurse gave me full marks and said that my feet are the best she has ever seen on an 86 year old. I told her that was down to Susan's foot care. I shall get the results by phone a week today.
Jana is from Czechoslovakia and goes home to see her mother next week. Her employment is not affected by Brexit.

[Tizer]

This discovery should give a big boost to our understanding of long-term effects of Covid-19 and other respiratory diseases...
`Long Covid: Hidden lung damage spotted on scans' BBC
The Sheffiled University press release is here: Sheffield Uni